Faucet for soda-fountains.



W. MoD. MEGG-ET.

PAUCBT PUR SODA FOUNTAINS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3. 1909.

Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

gfwyewboz @X3i/lineas@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM MODONALD MEGGET, OF GREENVILLE, MISSISSIPPI, ASSIGNOR OFONE-THIRD TO EMMETT N. THOMAS, OF GREENVILLE, MISSISSIPPI.

FAUCET FOB SODA-FOUNTAINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application tiled September 3, 1909.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MCD. MEG- on'r, citizen of the United Statesresiding at Greenville, in the county of Washington and State ofMississippi, have invented a new and useful Faucet for Soda-Fountains,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to faucets, and is especially designed for use inconnection with soda-water dispensing apparatus.

In preparing a g ass of soda-water with the faucets now in general use,syrup is rst poured in the glass, then the same is filled withsoda-water, and lastly, the syrup and soda-water are mixed by a spoon,the mixing of the same frequently causing the drink to partially runover the glass and upon the counter.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a faucet having adischarge end of a novel construction which will cause the soda-water tospread in such a manner that the syrup and soda-water will becomeproperly mixed, thereby avoiding the use of a spoon, and also lesseningthe chances of spilling the drink u on the counter.

Another object o the invention is to provide a faucet of the classdescribed, which is composed of a minimum number of parts and istherefore simple and cheap to manufacture.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claimsh'ereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form,proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope ofthe claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing z-Figure 1 is a side elevation showin the inventionapplied to a fountain. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View throughthe faucet. Fi 3 is a crosssectional view of the faucet, ta en on theline 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the valve stem. Fig.5 1s a perspective view of the washer.

Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figuresof the draweferring to the drawing, the soda fountain 5 has a couplingv6 extending therefrom and provided with a reduced and exteriorlythreaded end 7 and consequent shoulder 8. The interior of the reducedend is cut out to form a space 9 for a purpose hereinafter described.The interior of the coupling above the said end is interiorl i threadedas'shown by the reference numera 10. Fitting within the space 9 is theupper or inner end of the tube 11 having a flared or conical mouth piece12 integrally formed on its outer end, and a plurality ofradially-extendin finger pieces 11a at an intermediate point ormin ahand wheel. A valve stem 13 is arrange within the tube 11 and is rovidedwith a longitudinal bore 14 exten ing the greater portion of the lengththereof. The outer end 15 of this stem is reduced to rovide a spacebetween it and the tube, which space communicates with the bore of thestem through the diametrically opposite ports 16. By referrin to Fig. 4,it will be noticed that one of t e ports 16 is much longer than theother port. Were these ports of equal area, a direct draft through thefaucet would be presented, with the result that carbonated water wouldflow with such force that all the syrup used would foam. By roviding thetwo ports, the longer port Wil receive the agitated water and relieve orreduce the pressure so that the water may pass into thc glass with theproper force to mix with the syrup Without foaming, the smaller portdiverting part of the water just before it issues from the faucet sothat the discharge will be even around the entire mouth of the faucet.`The outer end of the stem is arranged above the flared mouth piece 12and has a correspondingly flared spreader 17 secured thereon by a screw18 or other suitable fastening means, the spreader being closed at itsapex and extending beyond the mouth piece 12, as clearly shown in Figs.1 and 2 ofthe drawing. The outer extremity of the stem, immediatelyadjacent the spreader, is tapered or conical and a contracted annularportion is provided just above said conical extremity, as shown clearlyin Figs. 2 and 4. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2,the carbonated water Iwill escape from the faucet in a comparativelylarge stream, but4 if the hand wheel be turned so that the valve stemmoves outward, the head of the conical portion may be brought to theapex of the flared mouthpiece 12 and the water consequently permitted toescape in a thin stream. The contracted portion of the stem rovides alarge space between the stem and tlie tube 11 to accommodate the volumeof water restrained by the restricted discharge. By reason of thisconstruction, the device may be readily manipulated so as to govern theflow of water accordingv to the gas pressure. The inner end 19 of thestem is exteriorly threaded and extends beyond tlie end of the tube 11to engage the threaded portion 10 of the coupling 6, while near its saidinner end are diametrically-opposite longitudinal slots 20, 20.Diametrically opposite openings 21, 21 are formed in the tube 11 nearthe inner end thereof which register with the slots 20. A split washer22 is arranged between the end of the tube 11 and the reduced end 7 ofthe coupling 6, and is rovided with diametrically-opposite openings 23,23 which register with the slots 20 of the stem and the openings 21 ofthe tube. This split washer or ring serves as a filling spacer betweenthe tube 11 and the projecting portions 7 of the cou ling and maintainsthem in their roper re ative positions, the split construction enablingthe washer to contract and expand without causing any binding of theparts. It will be noted, of course, that the parts are subjected togreat changes in temperature, inasmuch as all carbonated water is icecold and all water used at soda fountains for hot drinks is nearlyboiling. A transverse pin 24 is arranged within the said slots andopenin s for a purpose hereinafter described. union member or coupling25 is arranged around the tube 11 and is ada ted to engage the threadedend of the coupling and the washer 22. It will thus be seen, that by therotation of the tube 11 by means of the finger-pieces or hand-wheel 11,the pin 24 and consequentl the valve-stem 13 will be likewise rotate theunion 25, however, causing the tube 11 to remain in its relativelystationary position, because of the fact thatthe union bears against thewasher 22 and thereby prevents any longitudinal movement of the saidtube. As the stem 13 rotates, the threaded end 19 thereof, causes thespreader 17 t-o be moved either against or away from the mouth-piece 12,and thereby, either open or close the passage for the soda-water, themovement, however, being limited by the length of the slots 2020, aswill be readily understood. From the foregoing, it will be also observedthat the mouth-piece and spreader being conical-shaped, the upwardmovement of the stem will cause the spreader to simultaneously engageall arts of the mouth-piece, and thereby cut-o the supply of soda-waterand prevent any dripping.

What I claim is 1. In a faucet for soda water fountains, the combinationwith a coupling, of a rotatable tube mounted thereon and provided with aflared mouthpiece at the outer end, and a hollow stem arranged withinthe tube and connected to rotate therewith, but adapted to be shiftedlongitudinally thereof, one end of the stem being provided with aconical-shaped spreader which is arranged within the mouth-piece andadapted to be moved into and out of engagement therewith by the rotationof said tube.A

2. In a faucet for soda water fountains, the combination with acoupling, of a rotatable tube mounted thereon, and having oppositelyarranged openings near its inner end, the outer end being provided witha flared mouth-piece, a hollow valvestem arranged within the tube, itsinner end being threaded into the coupling and its outer end beingreduced and arranged adjacent the said mouth-piece, a conica spreaderdetach ably secured to the end of the stem arranged within and extendingbeyond the mouthpiece, the stem being rovided near its threaded end withoppositely arranged longitudinal slots which register with the openingsof the tube, and a transverse pin arranged within the said slots andopenings, the rotation of the tube causing the stem through the mediumof the pin to be revolved and simultaneously moved longitudinally of thetube and thereby engage with or disengage the spreader from themouthpiece. A

3. In a faucet Vfor soda Water fountains, the combination with acoupling, of a rotatable tube mounted thereon, and having its outer endprovided with a fiared mouth-piece, a hollow valve-stem arranged withinthe tube, the inner end thereof being threaded into the coupling and theouter end being arranged adjacent the said mouthpiece, a conicalshapedspreader secured to the outer end of the stein and arranged within andextending beyond the mouth-piece, means for connecting the tube to thestem in such a manner as to cause them to revolve in unison, the 110rotation of the stem causing it to be moved longitudinally of the tubeand thereby enn gage with or disengage the spreader from themouth-piece.

4. In a faucet for soda water fountains, the combination with acoupling, of a rotatable tube mounted at the lower end thereof andprovided with a flared inouth-piece at its outer end, a hand-wheelrigidly mounted on the tube for turning the same, a hollow stem arrangedwithin the tube and pro-vided at its outer end with a conical-shapedspreader which cooperates with the iared mouth-piece of the tube, saidstern being provided with ports above the spreader which communicatewith the space between the tube and stem, the upper end of the stembeing open and having a threaded connection with the said coupling, andmeans for connecting the tube with said coupling and 130 asV also withthe stein whereby upon the rotation of the tube both rotary andlongitudinal movements are imparted to the stem for the purpose setforth.

5. In a faucet for soda` water fountains, the combination of a coupling,a rotatable tube inounted thereon and provided with a tlared Inouthpiece at its outer end, a hollow stein arranged within the tube andengaging the coupling, the said steln having a tapered outer end and acontracted annular portion adjacent said tapered end, a spreadersecured. to said end and arranged within and projecting beyond theilared mouth piece, and a connection between the tube and the steinwhereby to operate the stein.

t'. In a faucet for soda water fountains, the combination of a coupling,a rotatable tube mounted thereon, a hollow stein arranged within thetube and provided with ports of unequal area near its outer end leadinglfrom the bore of the stein to the space between the stein and the tube,the inner end of the stem being,l engaged in the coupling, a spreader onthe outer end of the stein, and a connection between the stern and thetube to operate the stein.

T, ln a faucet for soda water fountains, the combination of a coupling,a rotatable tube mounted therein, a split washer arranged around theinner end of the tube between the same and the coupling, a stein.engaging in the coupling and. extenthng` through the tube, and aconnection between the stent, the tube and the split washer.

In testimony, that I clailn the foregoing as my own, I have heretoatixed 111)' signature in the presence of two witnesses.

fitnessen E. N. THOMAS, vWILLIAM JAMES.

